How to Plan a Stylish Outdoor Wedding Ceremony

Picture the scene: the sun dances through an orchard, or frothy white waves rush across the sand. Capturing an outdoor wedding ceremony is one of the most magical things I do as a luxury Essex wedding photographer.
Whether you dream about a beachside celebration or exchanging vows in the forest, here’s how to plan a perfectly stylish open-air wedding ceremony for you.

Location, location, location

What was the very first thing that drew you towards an outdoor wedding ceremony? For many couples, the answer to this question is intrinsically connected to a certain place or type of location. You may have always wanted to get married on the beach, or within the manicured romance of a walled garden, for example.

There are still plenty of ways to give popular alfresco settings a unique twist. Take a ceremony in the heart of a restored formal or knot garden, for example. With its lush green backdrop of crisp lines, this location guarantees to create a sense of wow-factor.

If you’re booking a lakeside or riverfront ceremony, is it possible to arrive by boat? Little touches will make your wedding truly magical. They will also create sensational photo opportunities that I, as your Essex wedding photographer, will want to capture for you!

Time it right

Choosing an outdoor wedding ceremony means the daylight hours and weather conditions on the day will have an even greater effect. You need more than simply an excellent wet weather back-up plan.

You should also consider what time of day you want to exchange vows. If you’re picturing a sun-dappled scene with a romantic glow, it may be best to wait until the golden hour, or even twilight for a candlelit ceremony.

With any of the later options, it’s worth discussing your plans with your luxury Essex wedding photographer. Having a pre-ceremony first look shoot may be just what you need, creating ultra-romantic photos while you’ve still got daylight.

Take a seat

Whether you’ve chosen a dry hire or fully serviced venue for your outdoor wedding ceremony will make a big difference to what’s involved at this point.

You may need to hire in chiavari chairs if seating isn’t provided, as well as installing lighting and creating a space for an acoustic band to join you. Don’t underestimate how valuable a wedding planner could be – weddings are huge events to plan even when you’ve got a turn-key venue to use!

On the move

It’s also important to plan how all your guests will get to that space if it’s a little off the beaten track.
You could dress the walkway with oriental rugs. Or you could line it with oversized festoon lights or have posies featuring the statement bloom from your bouquet tied to branches to mark the route – a stunning clue for what’s to come.

In a totally personalised twist, you could even commission a series of bespoke calligraphy boards with sentimental quotes on them. Space them along the path to your outdoor wedding ceremony. Illuminate them with hurricane vase candles or delicate up-lighters.

All the finer details of your day will be preserved on film forever by me.

The legal bit

This may all change according to a review announced in the Budget at the end of 2018. But, as it stands, in England couples can only legally get married within licensed structures. And one of the crucial elements of those structures is that they are permanent.

So if your heart is set on a legally binding ceremony there and then on your big day, make sure you find a venue that offers that. This may be a glasshouse within a walled garden, or an open-air oak arbour beside a lake.

But if you’re happy to have a spiritual blessing on the day, the location is entirely up to you. The bonus is that you can completely customise your ceremony wording too! Close friends could officiate, or you could include a ribbon tying or sand pouring ceremony, or add any number of personal touches to make the moment uniquely yours.

Outdoor wedding decor

Planning an outdoor wedding ceremony requires more creativity when it comes to styling than more conventional indoor options. You’ll want your decorations to complement the surroundings, as well as your wedding theme.
Why not try wine barrels topped with oversized arrangements of flowers to mark the end of the aisle at a vineyard wedding? Or you could opt for a statement floral arch, complete with eye-catching pampas grass and blousy blooms. This would create a beautifully chic canopy for your vows.